Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-17

his sIght many years ago by excessive work
in and out of season. His deafness is due to
an accident that occurred when he was a
boy. He was coasting on a New England
hill one cold day in his youth, when his sled
plunged through the ice and landed him in a
frozen river. He was rescued more dead
than alive, and though finally resucitated,
the experience lost him his sense of bearing.
He is 30 Years of age, as hale and hearty as
many u man Of 35--with the exception, Of
course, Of the Affections noted-has made a
handsome fortune, and is one OF the solid men
Of the Cream city. A half century ago Mr..
Cramer WAS a New York journalist.
member OF that brilliant group
that had for its central figure the
late Thurlow Weed who was . warm
friend and great aimirer Of the young man
who was then preparing to invade the far
northwest to seek his fortune. Horace
Greeley and Raymond Of the old Times, were
also intimates Of Mr.. Cramer, and he tells
many interesting anecdotes and "reminiscences
of them and Of oth.r of the old time journal
ists who have long since passed over to ''the
silent city,
Tie range Of this mans information is
something To Ire wondered at He is regu
lar perambulsting encyclopedia, ami he can
aIsNcT huip>i my QutstioH IeldtliiS 10 tuc
political or other important events of the
past century at a moments notice. The
memory of Uncle Billy" as nearly all Nil
waukeeans call him, Is something marvellous.
When a fact is caught by the complicated
machinery Of his brain it is held where the I'M
palpable dust of ages cannot reach it. His
library ts large and well selected. Among
other rare things 1t is said to contain every
,pf. j,affh ,,r,.>.saiipus of
The contents of the congressional record from
volume ! 10 the last issue are at his tongues
end, and be can tell the date, page or para,
graph Of any important event that has been
rhronicled IN this cheerful and breezy publi-
cation since it was first started. His infirn-
tiles have, If anything, sharpened or quick
enei his naturally bright intellect, and he is
today one OF the very remarkable journalists
Of this country. A blind and deaf man at
the head of big Newspaper is a journalistic
novelty indeed. All of the leading papers Of
the country are Systematically read TO Mr..
CraIner every day by his secretary. The
range of his information extends TO the re-
motese corner of the telegraphic page Of the
latest issues of the metropolitan daiIies-
Mr.. Crarner was born at Waterford, Sara
toga county, y. Y, Oct Il, lsl7. He WAS grad
uated at Union college and there studied law
He began his first newspaper work on the old
Albany N. " Argus III 1888. In lS41 he
came TO Milwaukee and purchased the paper
which he has continuously edited ever since.
He has seen his adopted city grow from
struggling town with few thousand inllab-
isants To the important place it now occupies
among the leading cit ,es Of the country. In
his time he has seen the newspapers change
from the laborious old Washington and
Franklin hand presses TO the marvellous ma
chimes that can now grind out papers at the
rate Of a thousand copies q minute.
Mr.. Craner's career has not been without
thrilling and memorable incidents He was
in Europe during the Franco Prussian war
and was caught in Paris during its memura-
BILE siege. He lived on mule meat and suffered
many hardships until the capltulation Of the
city. When that famous old hotel, the i'll
fated Newhaii n2use was erected in this city
about thirty years ago. Mr.. Crsmer was the
first regular boarier He continued to live
at this house until Its d-struction by fire OH
tina. terrible morning Of Jan. 10, 1854, when
100 people We're roasted to death by the catas-
trophe. Mr.. Cramer was one Of the last to
leave the house, and he escaped more dead
than alive. His apartments were entirely
surrounded by flames when he was aroused.
With his wife, he attempted to find his way
out Of the roaring furnace. Both We're in
their night clothes, which were nearly burned
OF of them. The marble tiling ia
the halls WAS so hot that the flesh was fairly
roasted Oh their feet they passed over
them They groped around until they Were
finally rescued, both in a falntlng condition
and 50 horribly burned that il was feared FOR
Q long time neither could recover. The great